The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-05-07

In response to the request of the FREE
TRADER hustler, Mr.. Min signifed his viii.
lingness to talk to us on any subject whatso-
ever except the pulpit
"My business is the stage" said Mr.. Min.
IL can talk about that, but don't know any
thing about the pulpit. I'm through with it,
"You left the pulpit for the stage, didyou
not?"
"No, sir; left the pulpit because was
through with it, and then, beng out of any
business, entered this profession. have
been on the stage four years and half l
don't know as there is anything else in par
ticuar-Oh, yes! can tell you what l
think of the Interstate Commerce Bill That
b. II is til, -.e.:c3 nuisance and the greatest
Ii J Sc that my profession has to endure"
'Is it the bill itself, or is it the railroads
application Of it?'
"Wel, l suppose it's the latter; but it
doesn' make much difference whether it be
the muscles of the leg or their effect on the
foot that causes a kick. If you feel the toe
of the boot parting your coat tails, you know
it g there, and the result is the same whether
the foot had anything to do with the will Of
the act or not. That interstate commerce
bill is piece of the greatest stupidity. 1t
aims at the protection Of the weak classes
from the railroad favers granted to wealth
and to rich corporations, and that's all right;
but when they take away from a wholesale
patronage the reduced prices that wholesale
trade is always entitled 20, then they do an
act of colossal stupidity and injustice. Those
men who passed that bill had better 60 back
home like Cincinnatus, and stay there"
"You regard it, then, as mere fool job,
and not as an intentional injustice?"
Intentional!' said Mr.. Min warming up
Intentional. No; they didn't know any
better. But they did it just the same. II |
90 out in the street and fire off a gun and
kill somebody, would the authorities ask
whether intended TO or not? Why, my dear
boy, Just listen: There are about $4,000
people in this country who are engaged in
the show business. These, with those de-
pendant upon them, make about 25O,OOO
people depending upon the stage for their
bread and butter. This law has made diff
ference to me of $500 in month. That is
$4,000 year, Now you put $4,000 extra
expense onto company and it is enough to
turn fair success into fiat failure, or a
good thing into bare living. There are IA
members in my rroupe. There are many
troupes on the road to whom this law makes
a difference of more than $1,000, because
they have larger numbers in their compan.
les. Mine is perhaps fair average. There
are, should say, some 800 or 400 compan.
les on the road who are affected as greatly
or more greatly than | am. The rest are
smaller. Now you can zee that difference
of one cent mile and charge for extra bag
gage will cripple or break a large number OF
l.. these troupes. Many have already gone
under, and in less than year fully HALF Of
this $50, 900 people who depend on the stage
for bread will be without visible sup
port. Now, say that bill is most atrocious
and the men who passed it are most damna
bly, stupid, and criminally 500
"Do you say that for publication, Mr.
Miln?"
az say it for any use you want to put 1t II
E its TRUE When a congressman deesn'
know any more than to pass his vote on
t bill without knowtng what the result will be
he'd better 90 home and stay there. tel
you," said Mr.. Min with warmth, ~ tel
, you that ifthose fellows down at Washington
l would spend less time in giving wine SUP
e pers and toadying to foreign titles, an
n would spend little more time studying tn
l great problems OF the country, there woul
!. be fewer such fool laws as the interstat
e commerce b ill.,